These have been instrumental in the design of the following
biodiversity strategies, priority habitat lists, and site-based
designations.

Biodiversity Strategies

The UK Post-2010 Biodiversity
Framework sets out priorities for biodiversity conservation
activities at a UK-level. Additional priorities are set out in the
Country Biodiversity Strategies for England, Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales. The main objectives of these strategies are
to:

Sites/Areas of Special Scientific Interest

SSSI/ASSIs are
the fundamental statutory mechanism for protecting sites of
ecological and geological interest in the UK. Sites of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSIs) apply in England, Scotland and Wales,
whilst Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) apply in
Northern Ireland. Legal responsibility for notifying and protecting
such sites lies with the relevant statutory nature conservation
agency in each country. The SSSI/ASSI series is intended to form a
representative network covering the full range of wild flora and
fauna, and especially those types and individual sites that are of
greatest value to nature conservation. Detailed Guidelines for the selection of
biological SSSIs are available specifically for lowland
grassland habitats.

The tables below shows the extent of lowland
grassland habitats in SSSIs in England and Wales only. Comparable
data was not available for Northern Ireland or Scotland.

(created July 2010 from: (i) SSSI area data
from CCW Features Database April 2010; and (ii) total habitat area
data from Blackstock, T.H. et al. (2010) Habitats of Wales: A
Comprehensive Field Survey 1979-1997, University of Wales Press;
the lowland meadow data includes only independently qualifying (and
mixture) habitat, whilst the total areas for calcareous
grassland and acid grassland include semi-improved habitat)